Buy an Energica Ego 45, Get Free Solar

In a move that seems to have flown under the popular-media radar, Energica announced during their LA visit that they were offering free solar PV systems to California buyers of the $68,000 Llmited Edition Energica Ego 45.

Yeah, you read that right. Buy an Ego 45, get free solar.

The announcement came couched in the press release announcing their partnership with Chargepoint, and really, not even that is getting picked up by anybody. Go figure, especially since the second question on most people’s minds, after range, is about charging stations.

EVA Green Power Inc. also recently paired up with Energica Superbike offering Renewable Energy Solutions to all new Energica EGO 45 owners in California. If this option is chosen, the renewable energy company will install a photovoltaic system on the roof or grounds of the new owner’s house, completely free of charge, and will only bill for the energy consumed but at rates up to 30% lower than the local utilities. The solar system will help to charge the Energica Ego 45 battery as well as all other power needs in the house, using 100% green energy.

EVA Green Power is an Italy-based solar company, their site is here. I’m not at all sure how this works, what with state regulations and all that, and what I’m reading above says the install is free, but you pay them for the power – but at a significantly reduced rate. That would suggest it’s a grid-tied system. I’m sure there’s plenty of fine print, but the spirit of the effort is there, and echos the CEO Livia Cevolini’s comments about both the concerns about charging infrastructure and 100% carbon-free transportation potential.

Plus it looks like it’s only open to California residents.

(Snarky comment about how California gets all the good stuff deleted. I’m not going to be able to keep this up much longer.)

Here’s the pdf of the press release: PR Energica-SF&LA, and it has some links for more information. As far as I know, however, there is no mention of this or details of the offers available online yet.